Biomarkers
Blood biomarkers index and tracking guides
Blood biomarkers are measurable molecules found in the bloodstream that show how organs and physiological systems are functioning. These biomarkers include enzymes, proteins, hormones, lipids, electrolytes, and metabolic byproducts.
Most blood tests include dozens of biomarkers that reflect different physiological systems. Because blood circulates through the entire body, blood biomarker measurements offer a practical window into metabolism, inflammation, endocrine signaling, and organ function.
This index groups common blood biomarkers by physiological system and links to deeper guides explaining how to track and interpret them over time.
Start with these core guides
- Important blood biomarkers to track first
Learn how to prioritize a focused biomarker set before expanding your dashboard.
- How to track lab results over time
Use a repeatable workflow to store, compare, and interpret lab trends across years.
Jump to category
Complete blood biomarker index
This index organizes common biomarkers by type so you can scan quickly, understand what each marker generally reflects, and navigate to deeper pages for marker-specific tracking guidance.
⚡Metabolic biomarkers
Markers that show how glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity behave over time.
- Glucose - Core blood sugar snapshot marker from routine blood tests.
- HbA1c - Average glucose exposure over recent months.
- Fasting glucose - Snapshot of blood glucose after fasting.
- Fasting insulin - Metabolic context for glucose interpretation.
- C-peptide - Insulin production context marker from pancreatic output.
- HOMA-IR - Calculated insulin resistance index from glucose and insulin.
- Lactate - Anaerobic metabolism and tissue stress context marker.
- Ketones (beta-hydroxybutyrate) - Ketosis and fuel-switching context marker.
🫀Cardiovascular and lipid biomarkers
Markers used to monitor lipid transport patterns and longer-horizon cardiovascular context.
- LDL cholesterol - Core lipid marker used in trend review.
- HDL cholesterol - Protective lipid context in full panels.
- Triglycerides - Metabolic and dietary lipid context.
- ApoB - Particle-related atherogenic context marker.
- ApoA1 - Apolipoprotein context marker often paired with ApoB.
- Lipoprotein(a) - Genetically influenced cardiovascular risk marker.
- Non-HDL cholesterol - Broad atherogenic cholesterol burden estimate.
- Lp-PLA2 - Vascular inflammation and plaque-related context marker.
- Homocysteine - Cardiometabolic and vascular risk context biomarker.
🩸Iron and hematology biomarkers
Markers that describe iron reserves, oxygen transport, and blood cell context.
- Ferritin - Stored iron reserve signal.
- Hemoglobin - Oxygen-carrying blood context.
- Hematocrit - Red cell volume percentage in whole blood.
- Serum iron - Circulating iron level context marker.
- Transferrin - Iron transport protein concentration marker.
- Transferrin saturation - Iron transport utilization context.
- Red blood cell count (RBC) - Total red cell count for hematology context.
- Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) - Average red blood cell size marker.
- Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) - Average hemoglobin amount per red blood cell.
🧬Liver function biomarkers
Enzyme markers that provide context on liver stress and liver-related metabolic load.
- ALT - Hepatocellular injury context marker.
- AST - Liver and tissue context marker.
- ALP - Biliary and bone context marker.
- GGT - Liver and biliary pattern context marker.
- Bilirubin (total) - Overall bilirubin handling and clearance context.
- Bilirubin (direct) - Conjugated bilirubin fraction in liver-biliary review.
- Albumin - Protein synthesis and liver function context marker.
- Total protein - Combined serum protein concentration context marker.
🫧Kidney function biomarkers
Markers that help track filtration efficiency and kidney-related trend changes.
- Creatinine - Core filtration-related marker.
- eGFR - Estimated filtration rate trend metric.
- BUN - Additional kidney function context.
- Cystatin C - Alternative filtration marker used with creatinine context.
- Uric acid - Renal excretion and metabolic load context marker.
- Albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) - Urinary albumin leakage context marker.
🧠Hormonal biomarkers
Markers used to review endocrine signaling across thyroid, stress, and reproductive systems.
- TSH - Primary thyroid regulation marker.
- Free T4 - Thyroid hormone availability context.
- Free T3 - Active thyroid hormone context marker.
- Testosterone - Reproductive and metabolic endocrine context.
- Estradiol - Sex hormone signaling context marker.
- Progesterone - Reproductive hormone cycle context marker.
- Cortisol - Stress-response hormone context marker.
- DHEA-S - Adrenal androgen precursor context marker.
- Prolactin - Pituitary hormone regulation context marker.
- LH - Gonadal signaling and pituitary axis context marker.
- FSH - Reproductive axis regulation context marker.
- SHBG - Sex hormone binding protein context marker.
🔥Inflammation biomarkers
Markers used for systemic inflammatory context in broader interpretation workflows.
- hs-CRP - High-sensitivity inflammation trend marker.
- CRP - General inflammation marker used in acute context.
- ESR - General inflammatory activity context.
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6) - Inflammatory cytokine signaling marker.
- TNF-alpha - Pro-inflammatory cytokine activity context marker.
☀️Vitamin biomarkers
Markers that reflect vitamin status and common deficiency patterns over time.
- Vitamin D - Seasonal and supplementation-sensitive marker.
- Vitamin B12 - Neurologic and hematologic nutrient context.
- Folate - Cellular synthesis and blood context marker.
- Vitamin A - Fat-soluble vitamin status context marker.
- Vitamin E - Antioxidant vitamin status context marker.
- Vitamin K - Coagulation-related vitamin context marker.
- Vitamin C - Water-soluble antioxidant vitamin context marker.
💧Electrolyte biomarkers
Markers that support interpretation of hydration, nerve signaling, and fluid balance.
- Sodium - Core fluid balance electrolyte marker.
- Potassium - Cardiac and neuromuscular electrolyte marker.
- Calcium - Bone, nerve, and signaling context marker.
- Magnesium - Neuromuscular and metabolic electrolyte context marker.
- Chloride - Acid-base and fluid balance electrolyte marker.
- Bicarbonate - Acid-base buffering context marker.
- Phosphate - Cellular energy and mineral balance context marker.
🎯Cancer-related blood biomarkers
Markers typically used for monitoring known clinical conditions, not broad screening.
- PSA - Prostate-related monitoring marker.
- CA-125 - Condition-specific monitoring context marker.
- CEA - General oncology monitoring context marker.
- CA 19-9 - Condition-specific cancer monitoring context marker.
- AFP - Alpha-fetoprotein monitoring context marker.
- Beta-hCG - Condition-specific trophoblastic and germ-cell context marker.
Blood biomarkers are typically measured during routine blood tests such as metabolic panels, lipid panels, and complete blood counts.
While individual biomarkers provide useful information, the most meaningful insights often come from reviewing patterns across multiple markers and repeated tests.
Use this index to explore different biomarker categories and learn how to track them over time.
Ready to build your biomarker timeline?
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